When it comes to tablets, Apple were not only the first to popularize the concept, but they were also the most successful company in this market for quite a while. Others made various attempts to release competing devices, but ultimately, it was the iPad that people associated with the concept of a tablet most. After Google decided to increase Android’s presence in this market with their Nexus line of tablets, things significantly changed – customers saw that Android could be a perfectly viable platform for a good tablet.
And now, with the Nexus 9, manufactured by HTC, Google are really making progress and establishing a solid position for themselves on this market. Even though the Nexus 9 is not outstanding in any way, it’s a great device for its price, and does its job more than well.
The Nexus 9 comes to fill the position of the Nexus 10 as a large-screen tablet. Google have announced that they’ll be discontinuing the original Nexus 10 model, focusing on the new version instead. The Nexus 9 makes a departure from the 16:10 aspect ratio that users have come to expect from the line, and has a 4:3 screen instead, running at a 2048×1536 resolution.
Beneath the surface, the tablet is powered by a 64-bit Nvidia Tegra K1 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz which is more than capable of handling both the new Android 5.0 as well as every heavy-duty app on the Play Store. It has a good set of features, and offers solid performance – but it should be noted that this comes at an increased price. Instead of the $199 price tag that the Nexus 7 had, the Nexus 9 comes at double that cost, $399. On one hand, the increased price is completely justified by the hardware in the device – but on the other, one of the main reasons for the success of the Nexus 7 was its attractive price.
With that in mind, critics have been questioning whether the Nexus 9 will see the same level of popularity as its predecessor. It certainly has the potential to be a very solid entry into the Android market, but Google will have to put more effort into convincing people that it’s the right choice for them. Apple haven’t stopped their regular tablet releases, so there are still plenty of devices on that side of the market to lure people away from Android. The device comes out at a good time, coinciding with the release of Android 5.0, so this could be another beneficial circumstance for it. Being one of the flagship devices for the new OS, buyers who are interested in the “true” Android 5.0 experience have few other options.
Anyone looking for a Tablet should review the half of dozen new models released this month and available through — Tab l e t M a x x – including the new Ramos technology, i-series tablets, which Intel corp. partnered with this year – one model is the Ramos i9s that launched last week and is powered by one of Intel’s latest 64-bit Silvermont-based processors and sells for $240 — with a premium build quality & features that compare to the $400 Nexus 9…
Also powered by the same new Intel processor is the X90HD Windows 8.1 Tablet by Teclast for $275 – which is the only 8.9″ Windows tablet on the market to offer a SUPER AMOLED 2560X1600 display – the same “eye candy” ultra high resolution display found in Samsung products, plus comes bundled with a custom case with a Bluetooth keyboard.
Another Android tablet that stands out is an ultra-size 12-inch model – the Ramos i12 ($289) that’s super lightweight at 1.25 lbs and is also powered by an Intel processor —
Other holiday deals through Tab l e t M a x x – include a leather iPad Case with Bluetooth keyboard for $20 (regularly $65).